Roland-Garros 2022: Swiatek with Badosa and Sabalenka, Krejcikova gets Jabeur, everything you need to know about the women’s draw

The draw for the women’s singles at Roland-Garros was made on Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know

Iga Swiatek of Poland in action during the second round of the 2022 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix WTA 500 tennis tournament against Eva Lys of Germany (Zuma/Panoramic)

Simon Cambers

May 19, 2022

Things are about to get serious at the French Open, which starts on Sunday May 22. We already know a little more about what awaits us after the women’s singles draw was made this Thursday at the Orangery at Roland-Garros, in the presence of the Olympic biathlon champion, the Frenchman, Quentin Fillon Maillet.

The first thing we learned is that defending champion Barbora Krejcikova is ready to fight for a second French Open title. The Czech, seeded second, is in the bottom half of the draw with No 6 Ons Jabeur and 2021 semi-finalist Maria Sakkari.

In the top half of the draw, world No 1 Iga Swiatek was not spoilt for choice as she drew the 2018 winner Simona Halep, Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa in her section. The 2022 edition of the French Open promises to be exciting.

The first-round matches we can’t wait to watch

Naomi Osaka – Amanda Anisimova (27):
Former world No 1 Naomi Osaka, unseeded this year, has been given a very complicated first round against Amanda Anisimova, who has been performing very well since the beginning of the season on clay with a semi-final appearance in Charleston and two quarter-final efforts in Madrid and Rome. The American also won their only duel at the Australian Open in January.

Paula Badosa (3) – Fiona Ferro:
The world No. 3 and the 139th-ranked Ferro may seem like a mismatch, but Ferro reached the round of 16 at the French Open in 2020 and is comfortable on clay. In front of her home crowd, she could pose problems for the Spaniard.

The matches we would like to see in week one

Second round – Alizé Cornet – Jelena Ostapenko (13)
The French No 1 could cross paths with the 2017 winner in the second round. With the help of the public, Cornet could create a surprise.

Third round – Ons Jabeur (6) – Petra Kvitova (32)
Winner in Madrid and finalist in Rome, Ons Jabeur is the player in form at the moment along with Iga Swiatek. She could have a real test in the third round, though, against Petra Kvitova, two-time Grand Slam winner (Wimbledon 2011, 2014).

Third round – Angelique Kerber (21) – Emma Raducanu (12)
In the third round of the French Open, there could be a duel between two Grand Slam winners! One of the most exciting clashes in the world.

Second round – Belinda Bencic (14) – Bianca Andreescu
Both players will face qualifiers in the first round before potentially meeting in the next round. A duel between two former top 10 players that could be very hot.

Third round – Amanda Anisimova (27) – Maria Sakkari (4):
A semi-finalist at Roland Garros in 2021, Maria Sakkari is back in Paris with a new status. The Greek could have a big test in the third round if she crosses paths with Amanda Anisimova, also a semi-finalist in 2019 and very much in form at the moment.

Coco Gauff (18) – Garbiñe Muguruza (10):
Coco Gauff, 18, is hungry for her first Grand Slam title. She could meet the winner of the 2016 edition in the third round. A duel that would be interesting and tough to call.